I think, than I am
by mr.muse29
Summary: Deunan and Briareos go hunting for bandits. When they reach their hideout they find their targets dead...
1. Chapter 1

_Author Notes:_

_I've never done any writing like this before. I usually do depressing and horror stuff. But I thought I'd take a leap of faith and try a bit of action and drama. It's fun, it's serious and it's not too bad of a read. It gets into the background of Briareos and his feelings about being a cyborg. As well as its effects on his relationship with Deunan. That's sort of the key element (sub plot), their connection with each other. Though the story ventures around revenge of fallen 'brothers in arms.' Landing them in a tense situation. For those curious about the length, I'm thinking it'll be about 4 chapters when everything is said and done. Hope you enjoy…_

**Appleseed**

"I think, than I am."

**Chapter One (Fievel goes **_**East**_**) **

Tokyo lay in silent ruins—

Its damp grounds radiating a warm glow from the sunset. It never looked so gorgeous. Deunan basked in its light. Too long it had been since she enjoyed its comforting grace. This time she'd let it shine for her. Watch patiently as it descended into darkness.

It was relaxing for her to finally wrest a minuet, after traveling a long ways in her battle gear. She had been caring heavy weapons all the way from Nagoya. An M4 Carbine, 45mm stock pistol and a nice belt of grenades. All items strapped to her weighted armor. Spent the last several hours in routine, moving.

That's the life of a soloist, traveling. It isn't safe to squat for too long. So they live in an area for a week, and then move out. This time they decided to move north, see Tokyo. It was just how they left it before. Crumbly and broken.

Arms of safety held her close from behind. She couldn't see his face, but she knew who it was. Only a few people had a cold body with a warm embrace. Deunan took a deep breath, unburdening herself for a moment. She laid her head back on his steel chest, accepting his presence.

"Nice sunset, huh Briareos?" She said.

He didn't answer. But she knew, if his metal face had a mouth, he would have smiled. She knew this because he held her tighter for a moment.

Everything chaotic washed away. Her heart burst in fluttering pops. She wanted nothing more than to turn around and hug him. Which she did. Her motion broke his hold for a moment. Turning around and wrapping her arms around him.

The leather armor and scented clothes flooded her mind. Machine oil, dust and cologne. She had been traveling with him for the last several months. But she had never missed him this much. There're not many times a soldier can show affection. Even to a loved one. A battleground has no space for it.

Briareos face came to mind as she obsessed, lovingly. Fancy hair, chiseled jaw. Like most guys during those days, he would spend time making himself look good. For an obvious admirer. The loving guardian that watched over her.

In her girlish whims she reached up with her lips, eyes closed, and kissed him. His cold metal face bit back. She jerked away in surprise, remembering his current condition. He had lost his body in the war. Doctors refitted him with a robotic build.

She did not realize, but her expression didn't do so well for him.

"Ah…" he paused, "is everything okay?"

She shook it off, "yes. Sorry, I just forgo-"

She stopped herself before finishing. But it was already too late. Briareos stepped back, his entire body retracting. Leaving her in the finishing sunlight.

"Forgot that I'm a cyborg?" his mechanical voice was low.

"No it's not that—"

She moved in to hug him, but he stepped back again, picking up his ammunition bag. Deunan knew there was nothing she could say. Although he's thankful to be alive, he doesn't like the fact that his body runs off wires and metal sheets. It's perhaps the only thing that gets to him. When people notice that he's different.

Deunan felt bad for letting her words slip. For bringing up a touchy subject. It was nothing new though. Briareos mechanical condition was brought up several times before. She knew he'd get over it. It just made things awkward for the time being.

"It's fine," he said, "we should leave."

For a strong guardian, he could sometimes act like a girl. Never being straight about his feelings or what's bothering him. Sure he said it was fine. But it was quite obvious that things weren't fine for him. This annoyed her at times.

Guilt and frustration boiled through her mind. She huffed her way down the stairs after him. Angry that she mentioned the cyborg fixings. But at the same time mad at Briareos for taking it personally. "Another fine mess I got myself into," she thought to herself, "if he would just _stop_ reading into things!"

Down below sat the rest of the squad. All six, including Briareos, gathered their things. The small shop they stopped in was too out of shape to stay the night. The entire room had been flipped by bandits and thieves before. It was a small dollar shop after all. Foods and drugs were stolen regularly. But by the looks of it, the place hadn't been touched since. And for good reason. The shops massive windows were broken. Floor, dusty. Every shelf, beaten and empty. Just an unorganized deathtrap.

Daiki patted Hachiro on the back, finishing his words of wisdom.

"…so never chew gum when you shoot people."

Hachiro was new to the pack. He wasn't military trained like most of the group. Got his skill through the chaos of the war. He was only seventeen when Deunan found him. Was scavenging for food. He hadn't eaten in days. Since then Daiki has looked after him like an older brother. His "wise words" can sometimes be bizarre or come off cruel.

"Keep your chin up and don't look so stupid," said Daiki.

"Thanks," replied Hachiro sarcastically.

A shorter, tough looking lady sat on a beaten wooden crate. She smoked a heavy cigar, laughing at a stalky guy holding a rocket launcher. It was Mayumi, she loved to smoke. She was the unusual tough gal of the bunch. Loved to hang with the guys and rough'em up once in a while. Not the usual sight of a shorter Asian gal. Spends most of her time talking with Isamu, the rocket specialist.

"Sure the R-4 is a great launcher," said May, "but this here _M82_ can punch a hole through power suit from _two miles away_."

Isamu shook his head, "I can knock down _any_ bird in the sky with this beauty. Even got a tracker on the end. One good shot will knock a bogie to the ground."

"Don't snog it too much. People might think you're attached." She winked at him.

"Hey, don't diss the gear."

She blew smoke in his face and laughed again, "It got a name too?"

He stood up straight and proud, "sure does. I call her Brick."

"Lovely."

Katsuro stood watch by the window. Never liked to wait around. His eyes darted across the buildings, checking for possible bandits. He too held a rifle. Though his was lighter than May's, his rifle could shooter faster. Hers was stronger but slower.

"What do you think, Kat?" Asked May.

He answered without looking back. "It's about speed and accuracy. Not the power of the punch."

She grumbled, "Eh, like you'd know."

The men noticed Briareos walking down the stairs. They stood up, waiting to hear the news. He walked by them without saying anything. Just picked up the rest of his bags and started to get packed up. They took his gesture as a sign to get going as well. As they started to pack, they noticed Deunan coming down the stairs as well.

"Everything alright, Captain?" asked Hachi.

Daiki slapped Hachi in the arm. Trying to clue him in on the tension. He didn't get the agitated look on her face. Clueless.

Everyone had been traveling with Deunan and Briareos for a while. They were used to their awkward fights. Best trick, just stay out of it and don't mention a thing. After witnessing the aftershocks of the arguments, one starts to pick up on the signs. Everyone but Hachi. Who was new.

Deunan walked past without a glance, "let's go."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two (Showdown)**

Ash filled the broken room—

Deunan found herself back up against a cracked wall, catching her breath. The last several minutes were chaotic. A blur of gunfire and explosions. Their cover had been blown. Tokyo was not safe anymore.

"_The target has been silenced,"_ responded Isamu over the radio.

Deunan breathed a sigh of relief. She wiped the ash from her eyebrow and glanced out the shattered window. The enemies' helicopter lay burning in the middle of the street. A successful shot from the Brick sent it crashing down.

"What's the status on the shooters?" she asked.

"_We still have no kill confirmation."_

She huffed.

"_Briareos is checking it out."_

It was only a few blocks after the abandoned shop when Deunan and her team had been ambushed. They had run across what seemed to be a base "tower system." Two building corners reinforced with metal sheets and tables. It wasn't so clear that they were defenses until they were nose to nose with the enemy. An unfortunate turn of events.

"Daiki," she said, "how's Hachi?"

There was a brief moment of silence before his voice came on.

"_He got clipped in the leg."_

"Is it bad?"

"_I should be able to patch him up at base."_

Hachi had been the first one hit. To survive in the city, one must be extremely quiet and cautious. Two traits that Hachiro doesn't have. He spent the walk talking about cooked food and a "nice hot shower" on his return to base. Fell behind a few times in his daydream state. But the more he talked, the more attention he got. Specifically an unfriendly bullet in the leg.

"Get him home."

She pulled out the empty cartridge and dropped it on the ground. No use caring it around. It would take too long to refit it with ammo.

"_What about the bandits?" asked May._

"The fight is over," she explained, "we don't need to make our presence known to all over Japan."

Mayumi didn't answer. She was too hot in the fight to just walk away. But there was nothing a sniper could do with no backup. So she left the line silent.

Deunan made her way outside. The helicopter still burned. It had landed on top of an old rusted van. The untouched gas tank had been hit by the copter and blew up. Fueling the fire longer. Just outside the building was Daiki and Hachiro.

Daiki laid Hachi up against the wall as he wrapped his leg up.

"…that's why you don't walk with your big mouth open," said Daiki.

Hachi rolled his eyes a bit. Too tired to respond. The loss of blood and adrenaline had weakened him quite a bit.

"You all right, Hachi?" Asked Deunan.

He looked up with a weak smile. His expression was awkward from his limp eyelids.

"Yeah, me too." She said.

Deunan felt bad for earlier. She was so wrapped up with Briareos and the cyborg conversation, that she didn't give anyone else the time of day. Especially Hachiro. The one who didn't get her aggravation.

On their way out, he kept asking her questions about their hideout. If they had a good food supply. The possibility of a hot shower, etc. At the time, his childish remarks were bothersome and she brushed him off angrily. But after seeing him get shot and laying there beaten, her circumstances weren't so important anymore.

"When we get back," she said, "we'll get you a nice bowl of hot—"

A gun shot from the distance, smothering her words. Hachi's chest cavity opened at the punch of a sniper round. His body went limp, smearing blood on the wall.

"Hachi!" Screamed Daiki.

Deunan shot up, yelling into her radio, "Sniper! Take him out!"

She pulled him back behind an old car.

"Daiki," she barked.

His wide eyes couldn't look away from Hachi's dead face. He just kept staring at him.

She pulled his face towards her, "Get yourself together… Daiki. We need to get the sniper, you hear me? We need your help."

Her words were stiff as she looked him straight in the eyes.

"Get your gear and let's go."

He finally blinked, nodding in response. His gun was by Hachi's side, right in the open for the sniper. There was no way he could safely get to it. So he pulled out his pistol, clicking the safety off.

Deunan spoke into the radio, "Briareos, what's your location?"

"_Second tower is clear. The bandits left this place already." He said._

"Kat, I need you to get visual. We're in the dark down here."

"_I'm lookin' right now. I believe he's at the bottom of the first tower."_

"Be careful, he already got Hachi."

Another loud shot came from ahead. It hit the ledge of the window above. Bits of cement crumbled down, dusting the ground below.

The soft crackle of the burning copter distilled the silence. It was the only thing making noise. Deunan wiped her cold nose. The smell of old gasoline and burnt rubber had finally made its way around the street. It was sickening, and potent. The flames took up some of the overgrowth and sent it floating back down like hot snow.

The combination of the thick smoke and cold fog had darkened the skies. There were no stars out tonight. At least none that anyone could see. It was the familiar atmosphere of the warzone.

"And ash will litter the sky," she whispered to herself.

Deunan wasn't too much of a religious person. Never believed in the end of the world. Even after the Great War had ended. When all civilizations had collapsed and left to ruin. But now and then, in the heat of battle, she would remember biblical verses. The ones her mother would read. It seemed like every day there was something else that lined up with the Book of Revelations.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Isamu, _"I think he's trying to hit me."_

Another shot had gone off. This time it was closer to Isamu on the second floor.

"He's trying to spook you out. Make you move from your hiding," explained Deunan.

"_He's got an M82 like mine,"_ said Mayumi, _"I'd know that shot from anywhere."_

A sharp burst came from above. Three stories up a small flash of light had popped. It happened twice. But before Deunan could say anything, Kat had chimed in.

"_Got the bastard! He was by the door to the le—"_

Another heavy shot came from the first tower. It echoed louder this time, crashing straight into the wall three stories up. Kats voice had stopped.

"Kat, are you oka—"

"_That was an Mk 211 shot! Kat!" _May screamed in the radio.

Deunan had no idea what that meant. She sort of knew about sniper rifles. The fact that they could pierce through armor. But the thing with rifles is that it's a one shot deal. If Kat _was _hit, it would have only wounded him. But Mayumi's reaction had made her unsure.

She didn't hesitate to run back into the building. Quick dodge around the door and straight up the stairs. Deunan ran as fast as she could, blocking out the overwhelming chatter on the radio. She didn't even tell Daiki anything. Just left him sitting there behind the car.

A quick sprint up the stairs and down the hallway, she was at the third level. Where Kat was at. She peered into the room.

The window was completely shattered. Below it, a dark form lying on the ground. It was Kat.

Duenan ran up to him, crouching. His entire side was riddled with shards. Torn and bloody, Kat was dieing. The sniper round had exploded the wall inside, covering him with shrapnel rounds. That's when she heard May.

"…_one shot can clear an entire room."_

Mayumi was desperately trying to convey the extremeness of the situation to Deunan. Tried to get the importance across. She couldn't do anything for Kat herself since she was across the street. The only one who could take action to help him was Deunan. Who knew nothing of the true power and capability of the M82.

Deunan responded, "He's still alive. We need to get him back to base, now!"

A round of machinegun bursts echoed through the streets. The building ahead lit up with sparks.

When it settled, Briareos spoke, "_First tower is clear. The sniper is dead."_


End file.
